Just BloNo 2011: A Year in Pictures

From the Wisconsin worker uprising to the Occupy movement, 2011 was a year of resistance. Bloomington-Normal was a part of it.

Solidarity with the Wisconsin Worker Uprising

2011 began with one of the largest labor protests to rock the country in decades. Wisconsin teachers and students spontaneously staged an occupation of the Madison capitol in protest of Governor Walker’s attack on worker’s rights. Workers from across the country voiced their support for the Wisconsin teachers.

Numerous delegations of BloNo residents traveled to Madison, Wisconsin during the occupation of the Madison capitol. Except for the last picture taken in late April, these are pictures from the first Saturday demonstration in February, February 19th, when approximately 80,000 people descended on the capitol square.

Commmon Action Free School

A new education group, the Common Action Free School (CAFS), organized educational sessions and skills classes, in collaboration with community groups, bringing people together around political concern. Below, in the second photo, Andy Thayer speaks on rebuilding the U.S. left on February 5, 2011. Other classes held by CAFS included the topics of the class struggle, education, the wars, solidarity with Palestine, a walking social history of Bloomington, and food and sustainability.

Protesting War and Occupation

BloNo anti-war activists participated in two Chicago marches against the wars – in March and October. Protests against the wars continued in Bloomington-Normal, the largest garnering over 40 people marking ten years of war in Afghanistan. The Bloomington-Normal Coalition for Peace and Justice (BNCPJ) held a September forum on what spending priorities should be in the United States, if billions of taxpayer dollars were not spent on war.

Come Together for Democracy

Come Together for Democracy was a series of networking sessions aimed at promoting activist collaboration in Bloomington-Normal.

The first session took place in June, featuring Bloomington-Normal Coalition for Peace and Justice, Common Action Free School, the Freegans, Just BloNo, Latinos United for Change, and MoveOn.

The second session spotlighted Feed the Need, Food Not Bombs, Just BloNo, Living Democracy Project, and Vision 2020.

Local Labor Struggles

Early in the year, individuals and groups traveled to Wisconsin to show support for the Wisconsin uprising. Laborers’ Local 362 participated with a delegation, and MoveOn organized both a Springfield and a Bloomington rally.

A number of labor actions occurred in Bloomington-Normal and surrounding communities.

In April and in July, pro-labor activists in BloNo demonstrated in solidarity with AFTRA broadcasting workers who were in a bitter contract dispute with their multinational boss.

A number of green organizations were started or received new momentum in 2011.

The Really, Really Free Market, in partnership with Feed the Need, promotes a sustainable future with its grassroots provision of services. The Really, Really Free Market provides products free-of-charge, through donation, which works to conserve valuable resources and conserve the environment. Feed the Need offers skills and aid to residents of West Bloomington, in partnership with many other organizations.

Vision 2020, a local transition town organization, received attention after it co-sponsored, with the Ecology Action Center, a showing of Gaslands at the Normal Theater. Vision 2020 hosted two well-attended community meetings. A talk by Ruah Swennerfelt drew over 90 people, and the panel presentation on local strategies generated interest in planning skills classes in town.

Occupy BloNo

Soon after Occupy Wall Street took Zuccotti Park in New York City, community activists in BloNo networked in a series of meetings to discuss initiating a local movement in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street.